Ments



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. S. SALISBURY. CLOTH CUTTING MACHINE.

(No Model.) 3Sheets-Sheet 2,

W. S. SALISBURY.

CLOTH CUTTING MACHINE.

No. 431,998. Patented July 8,1890.

3 SheetsSheet 3.

I (No Model.) 1 W. S. SALISBURY.

CLOTH CUTTING MACHINE.

No. 431,998. Patnted July 8,1890).

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILBER S. SALISBURY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE ELECTRIC CUTTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CLOTH-CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 431,998, dated July 8, 1890.

Application filed February 11, 1887. Serial No. 227,338. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILBER S. SALISBURY,-

' have the cutter of the machine operated by an electric motor mounted upon the movable frame of the machine and coupled directly with the cutter for giving reciprocatory motion thereto.

Another object is to have the motor so connected with the source of electrical energy that the machine will be free to be moved about on the table in the same manner as if such connection were not employed and without interfering with either the operation of the machine or the supply of electricity to the motor, and, finally, to provide certain details of construction'in the carrying out of my invention, all as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a central vertical section of the entire machine, excepting the electric motor and its support and connection. Fig. 2 represents a horizontal section taken on the dotted line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a front elevation of the machine with the face-plate removed; Fig. 4, a horizontal section of the line 4: 4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a detail horizontal section, slightly enlarged, taken through the connecting-rod on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6, an enlarged detail section through the guide for the pitman, taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3; Figs. 7, 8, and 9 detail front, side, and plan views, respectively,of the incandescent lamp-bracket; and Fig. 10, a perspective view illustrating the use of my cutting-machine which is shown in readiness for operation with the connections of the motor thereof with the source of electrical energy.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A indicates an upright bar or standard provided with a groove or recess in the front face thereof for reception of the cutting-knife C the upper part of said standard preferably being cut away or reduced for the play of the cross-head and pitman 0, while the lower end thereof is secured to the center of a circular cone-shaped base 15, by which the standard is supported in an upright position and moved over the table, the base being inserted under the lowermost layer of material, so as to lift the entire body thereof up in position for cutting by the knife. To the upper end of the standard is secured aplatform G, extending rearwardly therefrom and further supported by a brace T, secured, respectively, to the standard and platform, and upon this platform is mounted a motor R, secured in position by means of bolts U or in any other well-known and convenient manner.

To the forward end of the armature-shaft of the motor is secured a crank-arm T, to which is attached one end of a connecting-rod P, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected with a cross-head M, adjustably secured in any suitable manner to a pitman O,

to which is also secured at the lower end the knife C, the upper end of the pitman being guided in a suitable bushing end secured to the platform G, or supported in any other convenient manner. Thus it will be understood that whenever the current of electricity is operating the motor so as to rotate the armature-shaft thereof a rapid reciprocatory motion will be imparted to the knife C, which when forced against the edge of the layer of cloth will cut its way through the same in substantially the same manner as the hand draw-knife now used for that purpose, it being understood that in practice the cutting-edge of the knife will be rough-sharpened or toothed, so as to operate somewhat in the manner of a saw.

For convenience in moving the machine over the operating-table, I prefer to employ the handle E, extending rearwardly from the frame D, which latter is formed so as to encircle the standard, and is made removable therefrom by means of the faceplate J, attached by screws to the front edges of the sides of the frame. This handle-frame also encircles a rod H, secured to the rear face of the standard A, upon which is sleeved a coilspring WV for the purpose of exerting a slight pressure upon the handle-frame when lowered upon the goods, and operating as a yielding pressure-foot. This frame may be secured in an elevated position by means of the springactuated dog K, pivoted thereon,and engaging notches in the rod H, in which position it is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the dotted lines in the same figure showing it lowered in position for work.

Secured to the face-plate J, at the bottom thereof and in direct line with the cuttingknife, is a tracing-point X, which enables the operator to follow with the knife exactly in the line of the pattern drawn upon the upper layer of goods, as illustrated in Fig. 10.

In Fig. 3 the standard A is shown as beveled on both sides to the forward edge for the purpose of reducing the edge to substantially the thickness of the cuttingknife, this bevel extending upwardly a sufficient distance to accommodate the material being cut.

In order thatside lights, which would necessarily cast a shadow upon a machine moving over the table as this one does, may be dispensed with, I provide an incandescent lamp S, supported upon a bracket F, secured to and projecting forward from the platform G, which will always be in advance of the cutter, and therefore illuminate the goods being cut and enable the operator to clearly see the lines of the pattern.

In Fig. 10 the manner of taking the electric current from the overhead-line wires 1 and 2, connecting with the source of electrical energy, which may either be the batteries illustrated in the drawings or a dynamo or any other suitable source, is clearly illustrated, consisting of a trolley or any other suitable form of traveling contact which will permit a flexible cable, in which will be included the wires A A connecting the motor with the line-wires, to be moved along freely with the machine and uninterruptedly from end to end of the table. It will of course be understood that branches from the cable will also supply current to the incandescent lamp.

The operation of the machine may be readily controlled by means of the switch 6, attached to the side of the table or by any suitable switch secured directly to the machine, not necessary to be herein illustrated or described in detail.

In operation the operator grasps the handle and moves the machine up to the pile of material to be operated upon, the top layer thereof having the form or patterns marked thereon, passing the forward part of the circular base underneath the lowermost layer of the pile until the cutter-bar or standard-is up against the edge of the goods. Then the adjustable handle-frame is lowered until it rests, under pressure of its controlling spring, upon the top layer of the material, with the tracingpoint upon the 'line, after which the current is turned on and the motor will be in full operation, ready to be guided, as desired, in any direction through the pile of goods to be cut.

In conclusion, I may state that while I have herein shown and described a vertically spring-yielding presser-foot, and also a tracing-point secured thereto, I do not desire to herein claim these features, as they are reserved for claims in an application filed by me February 17, 1888, Serial No. 264,428, in which these features are claimed both broadly and in specific combinations not herein shown. Having described my invention, what I desire to claim, and secure by Letters Patent, is I. A clotl1 -cutting machine comprising a movable frame or support, a reciprocating knife mounted thereon, and an electric motor connected with and giving reciprocatorymotion to the knife, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a movable clothcutting machine and an electric motor mounted thereon for operating the knife or cutter thereof, of an overhead conductor for the electric current, a flexible metallic cable connecting said motor and conductor, and a sliding connection between said cable and conductor, furnishing a traveling electric contact therebetween, substantially as described. 3. In a cloth-cutting machine, the combination, with a movable frame or support comprising an upright slotted standard and a circular cone-shaped base, and a reciprocating knife working in said standard, of an electric motor mounted on said frame, and a crank-arm and rod connection between the rotating armature of said motor and the knife, substantially as described.

7 WILBER S. SALISBURY. Witnesses:

C. E. KREMER,

E. J. MCARDLE.

IOC 

